The use of backpacks and other shoulder supported personal travel bags have been widely accepted by youthful travelers, campers, hikers, bikers, hunters and by other persons engaged in similar outdoor activities. Frequently, the traveler encounters changes in weather conditions which may require a protective body covering. The availability of such clothing without time consuming unpacking of the baggage would be advantageous, particularly in the event of a rain storm. Furthermore, the traveler may inadvertently fail to include such a garment among the supplies and other items in the backpack.
Previous attempts to improve backpacks by combining them with articles of clothing include a coat and detachable knapsack, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,248,455. A disadvantage of that device was that it included straps inside the coat such that the backpack could not be functional independently of the coat and, thus, severly restricted its use and versatility.
Other arrangements were shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,959,331 and 4,057,854. The devices of those patents, however, were directed to garments that were convertible into backpacks rather than a combined backpack and article of clothing. A further form of combination pack bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,428,795 and describes a sleeping bag and pack.
The combination cargo pack of this invention includes a garment pouch for permanently retaining a protective garment.